Kansas State heads into its Big 12 opener at Cincinnati with two defensive starters still in limbo.
Coach Collin Klein said Monday that safety Logan Bartley and defensive end Jordan Allen are both “progressing well” and remain day-to-day as the Wildcats prepare for Saturday’s 6 p.m. CT kickoff in Cincinnati. Klein didn’t offer much beyond that, sticking to the same tone he used after Kansas State’s 31-20 win over Tulane.
Bartley’s situation looks a little clearer than Allen’s. He left Saturday’s game in the second quarter after taking a hard landing while extending his arms and was later seen in a sling on the sideline.
Klein said Monday that Bartley is “tracking well to be able to play.” Wesley Fair filled in for him against Tulane.
Allen is still more of a question mark. He was a surprise scratch against the Green Wave, though he was on the sideline cheering on teammates. Before this week, he had six tackles on the season, including 1 1/2 for loss.
Kansas State did get one defensive back back in uniform Monday, with Donovan McIntosh returning after missing the first two games with an undisclosed injury. He did not play.
The Wildcats were still missing several others, including backup quarterbacks Blake Barnett and Dillon Duff, which left K-State with only two healthy players at the position. Offensive lineman Oliver Miller also remained out after John Pastore’s season-ending injury in fall camp created an opening he was expected to help fill.
Klein said it probably wouldn’t be this week for any of the longer-term absences, but he left open the possibility that at least one could be back after Kansas State’s idle week next week.
Beginning Wednesday night, the Big 12 will require Kansas State to issue injury reports each night leading up to the game, followed by another update 90 minutes before kickoff Saturday.
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